West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for a region in the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Generally, it refers to the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland area, and more broadly to most of the region along the Lower Peninsula's Lake Michigan shoreline, but there is no official definition.
Definition
In general, "West Michigan" often refers to the area bounded by the cities of Muskegon (in the north), Grand Rapids (in the northeast), Kalamazoo–Battle Creek (in the southeast) and St. Joseph–Benton Harbor (in the southwest). However, definitions of the boundaries of the region vary widely; in some contexts, the term "West Michigan" is applied only to the counties of Allegan, Kent, Muskegon, and Ottawa, which form the core of the Grand Rapids-Kentwood-Muskegon CSA. Other definitions include the Kalamazoo–Battle Creek and Benton Harbor–St. Joseph regions, which can be considered distinct regions or parts of other regions such as Michiana, Southern Michigan, or Southwest Michigan, [representative sample] the latter according to one definition comprising Berrien County, Cass County, and Van Buren County.
The northern boundary of the region is also poorly defined; the population density, land use, economic and cultural character, and physical geography most often associated with West Michigan fades in northern Muskegon and Kent Counties, however areas as far north as Ludington and White Cloud may be included because of their close economic ties to the cities to the south. Other areas, such as Montcalm County in the northeast corner of the region, are transitional areas that straddle Michigan regions but are sometimes included for classification purposes. Greenville, in Montcalm County's southwest corner, is closely tied economically with Grand Rapids; however, the northeastern corner, around Vestaburg and Edmore, has historically more closely associated with the cities of Mount Pleasant and Alma, which are almost universally reckoned as part of Central Michigan.
Geography See also List of Michigan state parks and Geography of Michigan. Counties in the area are part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids or the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo. In northwest Kent County is Fruit Ridge, which is a prime fruit-growing region; that accounts for 65% of all Michigan apple production.
Municipalities
The following table contains the largest municipalities of West Michigan according to the 2010 Census. This defines the region fairly broadly, but not at its most broadly; if Battle Creek were included, it would be ranked fourth.
RankMunicipalityCountyPopulation1Grand RapidsKent198,9172WyomingKent76,5013KalamazooKalamazoo73,5984KentwoodKent54,3045Georgetown Charter TownshipOttawa54,0916PortageKalamazoo48,8917MuskegonMuskegon38,3188Holland Charter TownshipOttawa38,2769HollandOttawa/Allegan34,37810Plainfield Charter TownshipKent33,53511Gaines Charter TownshipKent28,81212WalkerKent25,13213Norton ShoresMuskegon25,03014Kalamazoo Charter TownshipKalamazoo21,91815Oshtemo Charter TownshipKalamazoo21,70516Allendale Charter TownshipOttawa20,70817Byron TownshipKent20,31718Muskegon Charter TownshipMuskegon17,84019Park TownshipOttawa17,80220Cascade Charter TownshipKent17,13421Grand Rapids Charter TownshipKent16,66122GrandvilleKent15,37823Grand Haven Charter TownshipOttawa15,178
Five of the above cities, Wyoming, Kentwood, Portage, Norton Shores, and Walker, are former suburban townships that incorporated in the 1960s in order to prevent annexation by an adjacent city. The presence of these cities in the top ten reflects both the large geographic area of these cities, as well as the long and continuing growth of suburban areas in West Michigan.
Events ArtPrize in Grand Rapids National Baby Food Festival in Fremont Big Rapids Riverdays in Big Rapids Celebration on the Grand in Grand Rapids (now defunct) Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven Electric Forest in Rothbury Festival of the Arts in Grand Rapids Fruitport Old Fashioned Days in Fruitport Spring Lake Heritage Festival in Spring Lake Kalamazoo Irish Fest in Kalamazoo Michigan Irish Music Festival in Muskegon Muskegon Bike Time in Muskegon Muskegon Air Show (now defunct) Muskegon Film Festival Muskegon Summer Celebration (now defunct) Rebel Road in Muskegon Red Flannel Festival in Cedar Springs Rothbury Music Festival in Rothbury Tulip Time Festival in Holland Unity Christian Music Festival in Muskegon Venetian Festival in St. Joseph Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck
Attractions
Croton Dam Dutch Village Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Grand Haven Musical Fountain Grand Haven State Park Grand Rapids Art Museum Grand Rapids Children's Museum Hardy Dam Holland State Park John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids Kalamazoo Air Zoo Kruizenga Art Museum Manistee National Forest Michigan's Adventure amusement park Newaygo State Park P.J. Hoffmaster State Park Public Museum of Grand Rapids Timber Ridge Ski Area Binder Park Zoo
Universities and colleges
Adrian College Andrews University Aquinas College Baker College Calvin University Cornerstone University Davenport University Ferris State University Grand Rapids Community College Grand Valley State University Hope College Jackson College Kalamazoo College Kellogg Community College Kendall College of Art and Design Kuyper College Muskegon Community College Western Michigan University
Business Prominent West Michigan corporations include:
Amway/Alticor/Quixtar, an Ada multi-level marketing company Bissell, a Walker vacuum cleaner maker Borroughs, a Kalamazoo office equipment manufacturer Foremost Insurance, a Farmers Insurance Group company Gentex, a Zeeland auto-dimming automobile mirror manufacturer Gerber Products Company, a Fremont baby food manufacturer Gordon Food Service, a Wyoming food supplier Herman Miller, a Zeeland office equipment manufacturer Haworth, a Holland office equipment manufacturer Howard Miller a Zeeland manufacturer of longcase clocks Kellogg's, a Battle Creek breakfast cereal producer Meijer, a Walker hypermarket chain Old Orchard Brands, a Sparta juice producer Perrigo, an Allegan pharmaceutical company Spartan Stores, a Byron Township grocery chain Steelcase, a Grand Rapids office equipment manufacturer Stryker, a Kalamazoo surgical equipment manufacturer Whirlpool, a Benton Harbor manufacturer of major home appliances Wolverine World Wide/Hush Puppies, a Rockford shoe maker X-Rite, a Grand Rapids manufacturer of color matching products
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, in Grand Rapids
Transportation Major airports Gerald R. Ford International Airport Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport Muskegon County Airport
Railways Coopersville and Marne Railway CSX Grand Trunk Western Railway, subsidiary of Canadian National Railway. Grand Elk Railroad Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad Michigan Shore Railroad Michigan Southern Railroad Norfolk Southern Railway West Michigan Railroad
Amtrak operates its Pere Marquette service in West Michigan, with daily service between Grand Rapids and Chicago. The Wolverine and Blue Water also serve West Michigan and connect the region with East Michigan and Chicago.
Major roads Interstate highways , running from Muskegon to Detroit , splitting from I-96 in Grand Rapids and going west-southwest and merging with US 31 near Holland before intersecting I-94 near Benton Harbor , running from Billings, Montana, to Port Huron, Michigan
US highways Michigan Avenue and Chicago Road , running from Mackinaw City, Michigan, to Mobile, Alabama , running from north of Middlebury, Indiana, to Petoskey, Michigan Grand River Avenue, running from Grand Rapids to Detroit The S-Curve, a famously crooked stretch of US 131 in downtown Grand Rapids
Michigan highways , also known as the South Beltline, bypasses Grand Rapids connecting to I-96 east of town and I-196 west of town , running from the southwest corner of Battle Creek at exit 92 on I-94 to the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand Traverse County. , a highway in southwestern and central Michigan from South Haven to Webberville (Lake Michigan Drive), running east–west from Grand Rapids through Allendale and ending at Lake Michigan. , a cross-peninsular road, running across the entire mitten of the Lower Peninsula including the Thumb, from Port Sanilac on the Lake Huron shore, through Saginaw near Saginaw Bay, and on to Muskegon on the Lake Michigan shore. running North and South from Mottville, Michigan, to Holland, Michigan.
Other Eastern port of the Lake Express High Speed Car Ferry; Muskegon The SS Badger in Ludington The West Michigan Tourist Association promotes the region from a tourism standpoint
Notable residents or former residents
More comprehensive lists are available at individual cities, villages, etc.
Justin Abdelkader, Detroit Red Wings forward Gillian Anderson, actress Jim Bakker, television evangelist Johnny Benson, stock car driver Dan Bylsma, NHL hockey coach Roger B. Chaffee, NASA astronaut Kirk Cousins, quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings Terry Crews, actor Betsy DeVos, U.S. Secretary of Education Debarge, music group Thomas White Ferry, U.S. Senator Nancy Anne Fleming, Miss America 1961 Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States James Frey, writer Frank Daniel Gerber, founder of the Gerber Products Company Al Green, R&B/Gospel artist Mark Grimmette, Olympics luger Ernie Hudson, actor Iggy Pop, punk rock icon Tom Izzo, Michigan State Spartans Basketball coach Derek Jeter, New York Yankees shortstop Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Maynard James Keenan, Tool and A Perfect Circle vocalist W.K. Kellogg, Kellogg Company founder Anthony Kiedis, Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist Stanley Ketchel, Middleweight Champion boxer Taylor Lautner, actor Buster Mathis, heavyweight boxer Floyd Mayweather, professional boxer Nate McLouth, professional baseball player Harry Morgan, actor Jason Newsted, musician, Metallica Mustard Plug, ska band Pop Evil, hard rock band Andy Richter, television entertainer Del Shannon, musician Sinbad, actor and comedian Wayne Static, Static-X lead singer/guitarist Bill Szymczyk, music producer for the Eagles, The Who, and others Sojourner Truth, abolitionist Vonda Kay Van Dyke, Miss America 1965 Brian Vander Ark, Verve Pipe frontman Dick York, actor
Notes
See also List of counties in Michigan Michiana Southern Michigan Michigan
External links West Michigan Tourist Association Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Michigan (arranged by counties and regions) Michigan Geology -- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Great Lakes Coast Watch Info Michigan, detailed information on 630 cities Michigan Department of Natural Resources website, harbors, hunting, resources and more. List of Museums, other attractions compiled by state government.
Michigan's Official Economic Development and Travel Site.
Map of Michigan Lighthouse in PDF Format. Seeing the Light, Terry Pepper on lighthouses of the Western Great Lakes.